[merkis1024]

I know the topic of EGR bypass has been beaten to death, but I'd just like a confirmation that my understanding is correct after reading numerous posts on EGR bypass. If you could answer some of the questions I have remaining, I'd appreciate it!

1. So it sounds like EGR bypass will trigger SES. Is this correct? And if so, it seems like we can clear the SES using BMWhat or similar apps, but it will keep coming up and we'd have to clear it on a regular basis?

2. Will EGR bypass not pass emission in CA? IIRC, cars don't have to be smog checked until it's like 10 years old in CA? So.. this really isn't an issue until later?

3. If I need to reverse the EGR bypass to pass smog later, is it as simple as removing the block-off plate?

4. Is there any shops in socal area that is good with this kind of modification? Different threads seems to show different ways to bypass EGR (e.g. blocking it or engineering their own part to remove the EGR valve, etc)
Someone who can stand behind their work.

5. Lastly, EGR bypass will put the car out of warranty, right? (until reversed?)


Thank you guys in advance. Other new 335d owners may come across similar questions regarding this, so hopefully this may be a good summary thread.

[BimmerToolRental]

(1) Yes, Yes, Yes
(2) Will not pass.
(3) Yes
(4) I imagine most shops wont due this due to strict EPA regulations.
(5) Yes

[Yozh]

I think you have to distinguish between the EGR block off and EGR coolant bypass.

With EGR block off, you keep the EGR cooler in place and just block off the exhaust manifold side and then the EGR valve side. The coolant still flows through the cooler but not the exhaust stream. This is what most people do when then block off their EGR. It is important to block off the exhaust side to avoid any possible EGR cooler cracking. Unless you do a tune you will get an SES. If you are in CA, I doubt anyone will be willing to do it for you, but it is easy to do yourself.

With the EGR cooler bypass, EGR cooler is completely removed. Exhaust manifold is blocked and EGR valve is blocked at the EGR cooler input side. Coolant inputs/ouputs are bypassed.

I think you want to know about a block off.

Originally Posted by Yozh

I think you have to distinguish between the EGR block off and EGR coolant bypass.

With EGR block off, you keep the EGR cooler in place and just block off the exhaust manifold side and then the EGR valve side. The coolant still flows through the cooler but not the exhaust stream. This is what most people do when then block off their EGR. It is important to block off the exhaust side to avoid any possible EGR cooler cracking. Unless you do a tune you will get an SES. If you are in CA, I doubt anyone will be willing to do it for you, but it is easy to do yourself.

With the EGR cooler bypass, EGR cooler is completely removed. Exhaust manifold is blocked and EGR valve is blocked at the EGR cooler input side. Coolant inputs/ouputs are bypassed.

I think you want to know about a block off.

ok, what are the benefits of both and how to do them?
also, i have heard about software bypass. does that electronically stops egr working or physical blanks and removal has to be put in place as well?

[temporaptor]

Diesels don't have a free pass from emission checks like gasoline cars have when new. Every other year for us.

[dixy2k]

Originally Posted by BimmerToolRental

(1) Yes, Yes, Yes
(2) Will not pass.
(3) Yes
(4) I imagine most shops wont due this due to strict EPA regulations.
(5) Yes

^^^this

plus no smog check on diesels '97 or older.

[lazyninja87]

Hi Merkis, go to page 2 of this thread for detailed instructions on blocking off EGR. I blocked mine this past weekend and it's quite simple to install the two block plates. http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...r+block&page=2

[Hoooper]

FWIW the california new car exception extends only 6 years, not 10. Diesels also have to be smogged on transfer regardless of age, where as gas cars less than 6 years do not according to what ive found. The dealer had to smog mine at 2 years old when it was transferred to me.

[Hoooper]

Originally Posted by temporaptor

Diesels don't have a free pass from emission checks like gasoline cars have when new. Every other year for us.

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/vr/smogfaq

[sour335d]

Like others have said, you will have the SES light come on every time you turn on the car. However, I would like to point out that it does not affect the drive-ability of the car. It's purely cosmetic.

I currently have the EGR block off plates installed with no tunes yet. So i get the light every time, but I only care to check and clear it maybe like twice a week. I do it just to make sure that the car's computer isn't trying to tell me that something has malfunctioned that isn't EGR-related.

[merkis1024]

thank you everyone. that sums it up pretty well!!

[merkis1024]

Originally Posted by Martin80k

ok, what are the benefits of both and how to do them?
also, i have heard about software bypass. does that electronically stops egr working or physical blanks and removal has to be put in place as well?

+1 on this question.
Is the EGR block off (exhaust manifold side and the EGR valve side) sufficient to serve as CBU prevention? What is the additional benefit of removing the cooler altogether, other than weight savings?

I'd be curious to see if a simple software can bypass the EGR system, but I think I remember reading that BMW made it virtually impossible to skip the EGR system without doing some hardware modifications, like iaknown and yozh are doing.

[Thecastle]

Originally Posted by merkis1024

+1 on this question.
Is the EGR block off (exhaust manifold side and the EGR valve side) sufficient to serve as CBU prevention? What is the additional benefit of removing the cooler altogether, other than weight savings?

I'd be curious to see if a simple software can bypass the EGR system, but I think I remember reading that BMW made it virtually impossible to skip the EGR system without doing some hardware modifications, like iaknown and yozh are doing.

It probably won't eliminate the potential for cbu, as there are other sources of carbon build up in the intake besides the egr. However, it may slow the process enough that it effectively makes it a non issue for your planned ownership. Turbos, pcv, and valve stem seals all leak oil which when heated form carbon deposits.

I've read about guys tuning the egr to be closed, but they seemed to have problems with cracking their egr cooler. Blocking the egr and cooler seems to prevent that problem and the ses light can be coded out. Not sure if tuning the egr closed without blocking is causing the cooler to crack and fail.

[9mmkungfu]

Originally Posted by merkis1024

I'd be curious to see if a simple software can bypass the EGR system, but I think I remember reading that BMW made it virtually impossible to skip the EGR system without doing some hardware modifications, like iaknown and yozh are doing.

Yes, it can be tuned out.

[BB_cuda]

merkis, A very few of us have removed cooler all together. I wanted to virtually eliminate possibility of leaking water from cooler into engine (hydrolock concerns). We've had pretty good debate if this is really possible if both ends of cooler are blocked. I would have to agree with them that chances are very low with blocks in place. With cooler out, you can more robustly block inlet to EGR valve. I replaced forum member's disk with my own fabricated plate. Before i got retuned, previous tuner hadn't completely turned off EGR function. I was having charge air leak OUT of the EGR valve's inlet when valve was cycling. I had a light oil film in area around the leak and dirt stuck to it. After putting my plate in, leak stopped. Real fix was using Jarek's tune to stop EGR cycling.

You gain some room for other things to be put up there. I have my catch can on the passenger side close to where the cooler would have been. Another member gained room for his external waste gate to sit with cooler out of his way. You do need to consider how to deal with the water coolant path that flows through the now gone cooler. To my knowledge, no one has blocked the water passage off but just came up with various forms of a water line. There is also a vacuum line that will need to be plugged that connects to bottom of cooler's actuator.

The block on the exhaust manifold side gets a hair more complicated if no cooler there. I used forum member's block + the thick boss from a junk EGR cooler I scored. I also had to cut off a little bit of that same cooler tubing. Forum member's block is made to sit inside the tubing. The boss holds that tubing up in the hole and the tubing supports the block off. There are more elegant ways to do this. Another forum member just had a copper plug machined and pressed into the boss I discussed. I have seen custom machined pieces available on UK ebay but i wasn't certain the bolt hole spacing is same as on US version of 335D. So, I went with the home grown version.

[Yozh]

Cuda, those are a thing of beauty.

[Persian Whisperjet]

"After putting my plate in, leak stopped. Real fix was using Jarek's tune to stop EGR cycling."

Cuda just to confirm, even with Jarek's tuns including the deletes, you still have to block or remove, right?

[BB_cuda]

In terms of stopping soot from entering intake tract, probably not. We have talked of other reasons to block though. It's not that much work to block. Removing cooler does bring extra effort that was discussed above.

[AiM]

Originally Posted by BB_cuda

merkis, A very few of us have removed cooler all together. I wanted to virtually eliminate possibility of leaking water from cooler into engine (hydrolock concerns). We've had pretty good debate if this is really possible if both ends of cooler are blocked. I would have to agree with them that chances are very low with blocks in place. With cooler out, you can more robustly block inlet to EGR valve. I replaced forum member's disk with my own fabricated plate. Before i got retuned, previous tuner hadn't completely turned off EGR function. I was having charge air leak OUT of the EGR valve's inlet when valve was cycling. I had a light oil film in area around the leak and dirt stuck to it. After putting my plate in, leak stopped. Real fix was using Jarek's tune to stop EGR cycling.

You gain some room for other things to be put up there. I have my catch can on the passenger side close to where the cooler would have been. Another member gained room for his external waste gate to sit with cooler out of his way. You do need to consider how to deal with the water coolant path that flows through the now gone cooler. To my knowledge, no one has blocked the water passage off but just came up with various forms of a water line. There is also a vacuum line that will need to be plugged that connects to bottom of cooler's actuator.

The block on the exhaust manifold side gets a hair more complicated if no cooler there. I used forum member's block + the thick boss from a junk EGR cooler I scored. I also had to cut off a little bit of that same cooler tubing. Forum member's block is made to sit inside the tubing. The boss holds that tubing up in the hole and the tubing supports the block off. There are more elegant ways to do this. Another forum member just had a copper plug machined and pressed into the boss I discussed. I have seen custom machined pieces available on UK ebay but i wasn't certain the bolt hole spacing is same as on US version of 335D. So, I went with the home grown version.

I understand removing EGR-cooler because of the leaking possibility but why you don`t just plug the coolant hoses to cooler? What is the idea with that tubing when you can simply plug the hoses? And is it really tubing -not plugged?

[BB_cuda]

We don't know if it is okay to plug that fluid path. yes it's tubing

[AiM]

Originally Posted by BB_cuda

We don't know if it is okay to plug that fluid path. yes it's tubing

In EUR-spec 335D/535D you can simply plug the EGR coolant hoses. There is also 530D E60/61 with EU3 emission standards (to 9/2005) that does`t have EGR cooler and there coolant connections to EGR cooler are plugged.

Only difference is the other water hose and where it is connected. In US model it seems to be connected directly to water pump housing and in EUR-model it is connected 45 degrees connector next to thermostat. Can`t see problem why you should not plug those EGR-coolant hoses also in USA-spec models.

Could be possible to use also OEM-parts for plugging;
-EUR-spec waterpump 11517790472
-coolant return pipe 11537806706

[Thecastle]

Who is least expensive in tuning out the ses you'll get from an egr block? I assume any egr block code is detectable by the dealer? Anyone sell a reversible flash?

What's on my mind is blocking my egr for the benefits of reducing carbon build up, but keeping the mod stealth and reversible for preserving my warrenty as much as possible. I seem to have a BMW with a reserved parking space at the dealer. It's back in the shop for the 3rd time in 6 weeks...... 2x for emissions equipment problems. Sigh.